Zac and the Dream Stealers (11 page)

It was after one a.m. when they reached the harbor, and the snow was falling harder than ever.

Julius led them to the water, where he'd arranged for a rowboat to be moored. They climbed aboard and Julius untied the boat, setting them adrift. Cornelius picked up the oars and propelled them out toward the huge city gates. A security troll passed them without incident, and soon they were out on the vast river, so calm and black it looked like a puddle of oil.

When they'd rowed upstream a little, Julius said, “He should be waiting just over there, beside the old candy-cane lighthouse. Ah, yes — I can see a campfire.”

“That's a start,” laughed Cornelius. “At least he turned up.”

As the boat bobbed across the great river, Zac and the others nestled into the lining of Cornelius's coat and listened to the Knights talk about the pilot Julius had found to fly them to Port Town.

Rigby Sundown was known to be the finest sky captain anyone could ever hope to find. He'd escaped bandit skywaymen a hundred times, or so the stories went, although he'd been badly injured on more than one occasion. He'd flown farther over the Eternal Forest than anyone in history — at least, anyone who'd come back.

“Ever been on an airship?” Zac asked Tilly and Tom in a whisper.

“Never,” they both replied.

“Always wanted to, though,” said Tom.

“Imagine soaring above the clouds with the dragons and birds,” Tilly said dreamily.

“What about those bandits, though?” said Zac.

“Skywaymen?” said Tom, a faint smile creeping over his face.

“Yeah. I take it we don't want to come across them?”

“I'll say,” said Tilly. “They're supposed to be ruthless.”

“They're pretty rare now,” said Tom. “But I'd love to see them just once.”

“You must have a screw loose,” snapped Tilly. “They're all thieves and murderers.”

“I know,” said Tom happily. “I've read all about them in —”

“
Myth and Magic
?” guessed Zac.

“Yeah!”

Zac said nothing more, but
he
certainly didn't want to encounter any skywaymen. He took comfort from the fact that Rigby Sundown had escaped them so many times. And of course, Granny and the Knights would be there, too . . .

Cornelius brought the rowboat to a halt in the shallows, and the Knights ventured up the bank to a simple campsite that smelt of damp firewood. Zac peered out through the hole in the coat's lining. There was a tent shaped like a tepee, and, less encouragingly, some dirty dishes and scattered bottles of rum.

“Hello,” Julius said. “Hello, Mr. Sundown?”

There was no answer.

A snarling blur among the snowflakes made them all jump. In a heartbeat, a huge wolf was on top of Julius, its teeth almost at his throat, its eyes glaring right into his. Julius let out a little moan.

A gruff voice thundered from the tent. “Maggie! Maggie, get down!”

The tent flap opened to reveal a man sitting in a makeshift chair with wooden wheels, his face thrown into shadow by the campfire. Dark brown eyes were just visible behind a curtain of straggly gray hair. He wheeled himself forward, and raised a hand encased in a fingerless glove to rub his stubbly chin. The flames lit his weather-beaten, scarred face for a moment, revealing the remnants of lost good looks, buried under many years of battle.

“Maggie,” he ordered the wolf. “Release!”

The animal was at the man's side in an instant.

Rigby Sundown gazed at the Knights and smiled crookedly.

“You'll be my fare, then, eh?”

“Erm, yes, yes,” said Cornelius, taking a step forward and extending his hand. The wolf growled again, and he hastily withdrew it.

“You got the rest of my fee?” the man demanded.

Granny signaled to Julius, who produced a leather pouch and handed it over to the pilot. He scanned its contents.

“Seems fine,” he muttered, and tossed the bag to his wolf. She caught it in her jaws and took it into the tent.

“So,” said the man, “you need me to take you to Port Town, eh?”

“That's right,” answered Granny.

“Just the three of you?”

“Yes,” said Granny. “I'm Eve Wonder.” She motioned toward the others. “These are my friends, Cornelius Huggins, and of course you've already met Julius.”

The man nodded. “Rigby Sundown,” he said gruffly.

“Mr. Sundown,” said Cornelius, “we'd prefer to be off as soon as possible.”

“The ship's ready to go,” Sundown answered. He took a flask from a pouch on the side of his wheelchair and helped himself to a long draft. “What's your business, if you don't mind me askin'?”

“That is not your concern,” said Cornelius.

“Hmm,” grunted Sundown, “when I'm asked to undertake a voyage in the dead of night over dangerous skies, riskin' my own ship and my own neck in times like these . . . well, I'd say that makes it my concern.”

Cornelius sighed. “We're looking for a friend,” he said.

“He's been captured,” said Granny. “By Dream Stealers.”

Sundown's eyes narrowed. “Dream Stealers?” he breathed. “Makes sense. Bad things been happenin'.”

“Maybe you've seen him, or heard something?” said Cornelius hopefully. “His name is Rumpous Tinn.”

“Can't say as I have,” said Sundown. He wheeled away. “
Nightstalker
's just over here. I hid her in some trees.”

“
Nightstalker
?”

“My ship,” said Sundown. “Maggie! Let's go!”

The wolf reappeared, trotting beside the pilot as he led the Knights of Nod up to a wooded area.

“Wow!” said Tom, poking his head out next to Zac's. “This thing is amazing!”

Granny and the others were standing in a clearing. In the center of it sat a rusty camper van. Its cream paint was peeling, and various pieces of equipment were barely hanging on — including a pair of nailed-on rickety wings that seemed to be made of wood and canvas. On the side of the old van, the word NIGHTSTALKER had been painted in untidy gold letters.

“That's it?” Zac said, beginning to panic. “
That's
the airship?”

“Why?” said Tom. “What's the matter?”

“It's not even meant to fly! It's a camper van. Where I come from, they just stay on the ground.”

“That's a bit boring, isn't it?” said Tom.

“I'm sure it'll be fine, Zac,” said Tilly. “These sorts of things pop out of the Dream Plains all the time.”

Zac thought of the old bus that had floated past them on the river the day before.

“I suppose so,” he said faintly.

“Hey, look, we're going in!” said Tom.

Sundown had pulled a handle, and a door had fallen open, turning into a ramp. The pilot wheeled himself aboard and motioned for the others to follow.

The inside of the ship was cramped and cluttered, and contained an unmade bunk bed, various items of scattered clothing, more empty rum bottles, and three worn leather chairs jammed together behind the driver's seat. A panel on the floor had been cut out and replaced with thick glass.

Sundown took his place at the wheel, twiddling knobs and flicking switches in preparation for departure. There was a great rumbling as the engine started, and the entire airship trembled. Granny and the others buckled themselves in just as Rigby Sundown pulled on a red lever, and
Nightstalker
heaved itself into the air. Zac felt his stomach drop as they climbed farther and farther from the ground. He glanced at Tom and Tilly.

“There's no going back now,” he said.

Shadow stood at the wide window of an impressive manor house near the summit of Slumber Mountain. She stared down at the twinkling city.

Something caught her eye. Just beyond the city walls, the winking light of an airship lifted off from the banks of the river like a firefly. She watched until it had disappeared into the clouds, then she turned back into the room.

Gliding gracefully past a roaring fire, she took a seat at a wooden table. A pale, terrified-looking man sat opposite. Shadow stared at him from behind the lifeless black lenses of her skull mask. Finally, she spoke.

“So, Mr. Grub,” she said. He flinched at the sound of her voice. Every syllable cut through the air like a rusty razor. “In the time it has taken me to travel home from the North, Rumpous Tinn has escaped from our custody. He has beaten several of our guards in combat, even in his weakened state, and — oh, yes — he also subdued a mountain troll. Have I heard you correctly?”

The man was now shaking. “Y-yes, my lady,” he managed to stammer.

“Is there anything else?” she asked calmly.

“No, my lady.”

Silence.

“It's only a matter of time before we catch him,” added the man in desperation. “He's trapped somewhere. We'll find him. And you have my word that this will never happen again.”

Shadow's hex flew out toward him so quickly it was a blur. Grub was paralyzed. Only his eyes could still move, and they blinked desperately.

Shadow stood up and strolled around the table until she was right behind him. She placed a gloved hand on his shoulder.

“Mr. Grub, Tinn is gone. He will not be found unless he wishes it so. You were, however, correct about one thing: It will never happen again.”

Something flashed in the firelight and Grub slumped to the floor in a lifeless heap. Shadow leaned over the body and wiped her dagger on his clothes. There was a knock at the door. She straightened up and replaced the knife in her cloak.

“Enter.”

Shadow's housekeeper, a tall blond woman with ashen skin, entered the room. She took a few steps toward Shadow, but faltered when she spotted the body on the floor.

“Is everything all right, my lady?” she asked.

“Fine,” said Shadow dismissively.

The blond woman tore her eyes away from the gruesome sight.

“The vampire has arrived, my lady,” she said. “Shall I show him in?”

“Let him wait,” said Shadow. “Do you have it?”

“Yes, my lady. We retrieved it yesterday, as you asked.” The woman reached into her pocket and drew out a little pouch. Shadow took it from her and carefully pulled open the strings, emptying its contents into her hand. A small copper object sat in her palm. She held it up to the fire to examine it.

“My lady . . . ,” said the housekeeper, hesitantly.

“Yes?” said Shadow.

“Why do you wish to possess an instrument that doesn't work?”

“Does not work
yet
,” corrected Shadow. “This trinket — this so-called compass — could very well be the key to our ultimate victory. It will help us to seek out and destroy the Trinity — the only three people who stand between the Dream Stealers and supreme power in Nocturne. We must find them!”

She stowed the locator compass in her cloak and took a seat at the table once more.

“I am ready. Send him in,” she said, waving her hand.

“Yes, my lady.”

The housekeeper disappeared through the door. A moment later, a man strolled into the room. He was tall and broad, with high cheekbones and cropped silver hair. His bloodred cloak trailed on the ground as he walked.

“Please sit,” said Shadow.

The man caught sight of Grub's body on the floor. Seeing the pool of blood, he licked his lips.

“Sit
down
, Raven,” said Shadow.

The man obeyed.

“My spy was correct,” Shadow went on. “Those fools, the Knights of Nod, are on their way to Port Town. They left only minutes ago. They will arrive by morning.”

Raven leaned forward. “My lady,” he said, “the vampires are at your service, as always.”

“Good,” she said, “because I have a job for you. The Knights are traveling with an old woman called Evegenia Wonder. It seems that she has been stashed away in the Waking World for the last fifty years.
I wonder why?
One can only assume now Tinn has brought her back that she's an important part of their plans — and a danger to ours. I have dispatched a crew to intercept the Knights in Port Town. Their orders are to capture this woman. They will bring her to you. You will guard her until I arrive . . . It is
very
important that I get to question her, Raven.”

“Very well, my lady,” Raven said. He paused for a moment. “May I ask which crew you have sent?”

“The werewolves,” said Shadow.

“Werewolves! They will rip her apart before they deliver her! I think you would have been wiser, my lady, to send vampires. It can still be arranged.”

“The werewolves will keep
her
alive,” said Shadow. “They know what will become of them if they do not.”

“But why werewolves?” said Raven, obviously disgusted.

“Because werewolves play with their food,” said Shadow. “The Knights will beg for death before the end.”

She stood and motioned to Grub's lifeless body.

“Do with him as you wish,” she said. “Just clean the blood from the walls when you are finished.”

“Thank you, my lady,” said Raven, his lip curling to reveal an enormous pair of fangs. “This Evegenia Wonder will be held, as you command. I will not fail you.”

Shadow's black eyes glittered. “You had better not.”